


The Moment Between Seconds

by the_Pop_Culturist



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 13:39:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6612745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_Pop_Culturist/pseuds/the_Pop_Culturist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Artemis discovers the real world a speedster lives in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Moment Between Seconds

The Moments Between Seconds

 

"OH… MY… GOD!" Artemis screamed at the top of her lungs as the world she once knew blurred past her in an unfathomable velocity, forming and reforming the similar lights and patterns she’d long grown accustomed to.

  
"This is just freaking amazing!" she yelled over the turbulence as Wally held her hand, blasting through the countryside. Artemis had experienced his speed hundreds of times, but this was different. She was not cradled in his arms, she was running.

  
The archer held hands with the fastest teen alive as they sped down the highways, country roads, and open fields that Wally directed them towards. She'd never thought something like this possible, to feel such raw energy surging through her body, to hear the siren song of the roads ahead calling, to finally get a glimpse of what it was like to be a Flash.

  
Dating Wally had been a rollercoaster ride to say the least. Every so often she would go back to that place, where an angry young archer with a chip on her shoulder first met the arrogant and opinionated speedster. It never ceased to amaze her that not that long ago the two couldn't even stand to be in the same room together, and now couldn't imagine a life without him in it. As they blazed past the Indiana state line, she started to feel his grip lesson. Artemis began to get nervous, looking over to alert him only to be met with a mischievous gleam in his emerald eyes.

  
"Don’t do it Wally!" she screamed, but the speedster just grinned, giving her a reassuring squeeze…and then let go

  
"Trust me babe. You're gonna love this. Don't stop running and stay close to me ok?" he instructed over the howling winds.

  
Artemis nodded and before she knew it she was on her own.

  
xxx

  
The Speed Force is a very complicated thing to define. It's a place, it's a time, it's an energy field, and it's a destination all in one. Only a handful of men and women were aware of it, and even less knew how to manipulate it. Wally just happened to be one of those people.

  
As Artemis let go of his hand, she noticed a crackle of lightning spark from his body to hers. They weren't physically touching, but she could still feel the connection.  
Adrenalin shot through her as she focused ahead and pushed herself to run side by side with her boyfriend. She'd never felt such a thrill before, such a release. It was now her turn to break the sound barrier in her sneakers.

  
Wally just smiled as Artemis overtook him. He could have easily have passed her, but this was her moment. He wanted her to cherish this.

In this distance, she could see the terrain begin to flatten out, and open green pastures and grassy hillsides slowly disappeared, replaced by something sparkling up ahead. There were approaching something new, something big; Lake Michigan to be exact.

  
She frantically began to decelerate when Wally took her hand and grasped it reassuringly.

  
"Oh no you don't" he smiled. "This is the fun part."

  
He gripped her strongly and she screamed half in fear and half in delight as they made contact with the surface of the water.

It was amazing, like running on glass. She never felt the spray of water on her face, but glanced back and stood impressed by the towering wake the two left behind. She excitedly turned ahead as they approached the Mackinac Suspension Bridge quickly forming in front of them. She ran under the structure in awe of its construction, stretching out forever under an impressive Michigan sunset.

  
"Let's take a break," he shouted over the roaring winds and gripped her firmly, "this is where I take back the lightning"

  
Artemis nodded nervously and before she knew it was in his arms again as they decelerated, finally stopping on the shores of the Upper Peninsula.

  
She hopped off and screamed in excitement. "Oh my God Wally that was amazing! Incredible! Orgasmic! I want to do it again. Let's do it again right now, come on!!!”

  
Artemis Crock was no fangirl, and no one would ever use the word giddy in describing her, but that's exactly what she portrayed as she jumped around the beach laughing hysterically, waiting for her adrenaline rush to come down. This had been quite frankly one of the most amazing experiences of her life.

  
“I can't believe you can do something like this, that this is what your life is like."

  
She saw his smile subtlety fade, and Artemis, always in tune with her lover's mood grew worried.

  
"Wally what's wrong? What did I say?"

  
He quickly regained his composure. "It's nothing."

  
"Wallace Rudolph West, don't do this. You know you're a terrible liar. We don't keep secrets anymore remember? Talk to me babe."

  
He smiled softly, "Yeah your right, it's just….well this isn't what my life is really like."

  
"I don't understand?" Artemis questioned concerned.

  
"It's hard to put into words."

  
"Wally….." she stomped impatiently.

  
He sighed, "Maybe I can show you, if you want."

  
"Of course I want to see it, what kind of question is that," Artemis replied annoyed  

  
Wally stood closer and grasped her hands.

  
"Ok. Don't let go ok? Just hold on to me," the speedster instructed,

  
She watched as he closed his eyes and began concentrating, a strong determination rushing over his handsome face. Artemis didn't know what to do or what to expect, but kept her eyes locked on his. She felt something warm form over her body, a strange sensation of electricity and warmth dancing across her skin. It didn't hurt, but the feeling was foreign. Indescribable.

  
"Close your eyes now Artemis."

  
She complied and the world around her went silent.

  
“And… now,” he instructed.

  
She opened her eyes and stared out at her new world in awe. The landscapes around them had a softer slightly blurry hue to it, once billowy clouds adorned the sky unmoving, birds and insects frozen in midair. She looked out across the lake they’d just crossed, and the tides were still, the world around her motionless.

  
Wally looked back at her and sadly smiled, "Welcome to my world. This is where I live."

  
"Wally what's happened?"

  
"This is the moments between seconds. This is what life and the world around me is like."

  
"It's beautiful Wally, it's so peaceful, it's so….."

  
"Lonely." he said finishing her sentence. "It's lonely here. I see you like those birds sometimes. Frozen, moving ever so slightly to and fro. If I'm not in motion, this is what my life can be like."

  
"I…I had no idea," Artemis answered dismayed.

  
"It's ok. No one does unless you’re a speedster. We're not close just because were family, it's because we’re the only ones who live here."

  
"So if you didn't have that speed force thing around me, keeping me what?... sped up? This is what I'd be like to you?"

 

“Sometimes yeah,” Wally nodded.

  
"But babe, we fight, argue, make out, laugh, love, spend almost every second with each other. How do you…I don't know what I'm trying to say….not go crazy?"

  
"It takes a lot of concentration. It can be really hard sometimes. If you wonder why I’m always impatient, this is one of the reasons, that and you busting my chops all the time," he said with a wink.

  
She pulled him into her arms and kissed him. "I never knew. I had no idea. How do you…stay with me?" she asked sadly.

  
"Because Artemis my beautiful archer. You're my lightning rod. You keep me grounded. I'd wait an eternity just to watch you cross a room. You're what fills the moments between my seconds. You're my everything babe," he smiled.

  
He kissed her again as the world slowly came back to life around them. They sat down and held each other silently as the sun began to set, watching it blaze fire across the lake.

  
"Thanks for waiting for me Baywatch," she smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, staring out at the sunset.

  
"Anytime beautiful, thanks for being there.”


End file.
